No description available.

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Broadband speeds, Internet literacy and digital technologies have been steadily evolving over the last decade. Broadband infrastructure has become a key asset in today’s society, enabling innovation, driving economic efficiency and stimulating cultural inclusion. However, populations living in remote and rural communities are unable to take advantage of these trends. Globally, a significant part of the world population is still deprived of basic access to the Internet. Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) networks are regarded as a viable solution for providing Internet access to populations living in rural regions. In recent years, Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) and community organizations around the world proved that rural BWA networks can be an effective strategy and a profitable business. This research began by deploying a BWA network testbed, which also provides Internet access to several remote communities in the harsh environment of the Scottish Highlands and Islands. The experience of deploying and operating this network pointed out three unresolved research challenges that need to be addressed to ease the path towards widespread deployment of rural BWA networks, thereby bridging the rural-urban broadband divide. Below, our research contributions are outlined with respect to these challenges. Firstly, an effective planning paradigm for deploying BWA networks is proposed: incremental planning. Incremental planning allows to anticipate return of investment and to overcome the limited network infrastructure (e.g., backhaul fibre links) in rural areas. I have developed a software tool called IncrEase and underlying network planning algorithms to consider a varied set of operational metrics to guide the operator in identifying the regions that would benefit the most from a network upgrade, automatically suggesting the best long-term strategy to the network administrator. Second, we recognize that rural and community networks present additional issues for network management. As the Internet uplink is often the most expensive part of the operational expenses for such deployments, it is desirable to minimize overhead for network management. Also, unreliable connectivity between the network operation centre and the network being managed can render traditional centralized management approaches ineffective. Finally, the number of skilled personnel available to maintain such networks is limited. I have developed a distributed network management platform called Stix for BWA networks, to make it easy to manage such networks for rural/community deployments and WISPs alike while keeping the network management infrastructure scalable and flexible. Our approach is based on the notions of goal-oriented and in-network management: administrators graphically specify network management activities as workflows, which are run in the network on a distributed set of agents that cooperate in executing those workflows and storing management information. The Stix system was implemented on low-cost and small form-factor embedded boards and shown to have a low memory footprint. Third, the research focus moves to the problem of assessing broadband coverage and quality in a given geographic region. The outcome is BSense, a flexible framework that combines data provided by ISPs with measurements gathered by distributed software agents. The result is a census (presented as maps and tables) of the coverage and quality of broadband connections available in the region of interest. Such information can be exploited by ISPs to drive their growth, and by regulators and policy makers to get the true picture of broadband availability in the region and make informed decisions. In exchange for installing the multi-platform measurement software (that runs in the background) on their computers, users can get statistics about their Internet connection and those in their neighbourhood. Finally, the lessons learned through this research are summarised. The outcome is a set of suggestions about how the deployment and operation of rural BWA networks, including our own testbed, can be made more efficient by using the proper tools. The software systems presented in this thesis have been evaluated in lab settings and in real networks, and are available as open-source software.

This thesis examines the contribution that geographical analysis can make to the study of the variation in the patterns of human health and subsequently to the discussion on the type and level of use of the public health service in a rapidly developing country. The current study was conducted in Jeddah Governorate, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the period 1994 and 2000. One of the main aims was to examine the pattern of health services provided in Saudi Arabia and this aim was achieved by investigating the provision and use of the Public Healthcare services. An attempt was made to clarify the complex web of relations that existed between, on the one hand, the different socioeconomic and geographic factors and on the other, the distribution of common ailments together with the level of utilization of health services. Shortcomings in the nature of the official health statistics regarding socioeconomic conditions of the patients were remedied through the use of a questionnaire. A tot al of 1000 patients from the eight PHCCs were surveyed for their use of the public health service. Data was collected from the same patients on their socio-economic, education and habitation details. This sample was used to supplement the data collected from the official government health statistics. These two data sets permitted an evaluation of the occurrence of different ailments and the variations in geographic distribution among the eight selected PHCCs. Difficulties persisted in the availability of official 1992 census data until publication of census data became available in 1999. In contrast to the problems of the census data, the availability of accurate and up-to-date patient records compiled by Ministry of Health staff was of considerable benefit to this research project. Use was made of Geographic Information Systems software for the analysis of data collected at the level of the PHCC. This allowed visual identification of the spatial variation in the use of the different health services and also allowed the identification of gaps in healthcare provision. The study showed that a density of habitation index used as a prime indicator of socio-economic status could be used as an indicator of the occurrence level for a number of common diseases. A pattern of disease was observed that suggested that the number of visits to PHCCs was substantially higher in low socio-economic districts compared to medium and higher socio-economic districts. It can be shown that the most common ailment was Upper Respiratory Tract Infections followed by Dental and Gingival diseases. Persons aged between 15 and 44 years made most visits to PHCCs although children under 15 years made proportionately greater use of PHCC facilities. No difference could be found between Saudi and Non Saudi as regards the occurrence of the most common ailments and diseases. The lack of difference was probably due to the close integration of the two population groups and the sharing of the same local environment. This similarity occurred despite considerable differences in income levels and socio-economic status. The level of utilisation of health centers in the selected districts showed differences, being higher in those districts categorized as low socio-economic in the south of Jeddah when compared to higher socio-economic districts in the north of the city. It was evident that the difference in socio-economic factors had an impact on the occurrence of some frequently occurring diseases e.g. URI, Dental, Ophthalmic, musculoskeletal and skin diseases. Although not primarily concerned with private health care facilities, for completeness sake some information was collected on the use of private health care in conjunction with public health care facilities. The author was surprised to discover that greatest use of private facilities occurred among women and children patients from Al Nuzla al Yamaneyyah and Al Thaalebah, districts that were characterised by low socio-economic conditions. The use of traditional folk healing was also briefly studied as this form of treatment remains important for some patients. Results showed that there was no difference between the educational standards of patients and their use of traditional folk healers. Again, children and women constituted the majority (86.6%) of users of traditonal healing with Saudi users (18.9%) higher than non Saudi (11.4%). There remains the supposition that alternative medicine may be of far greater importance than the sparse official data suggests. The unquantified illegal immigrant population may be totally reliant on unofficially operating alternative medicine centres. The thesis concludes by recommending a number of improvements to the existing public health care system. Some changes in the policy and practice of PHCC services will inevitably require more financial resources. These include an extension of the opening times of PHCCs and an increase in the number of specialist facilities such as dental surgeries. Other changes may not require more finances. These include a strengthening of communication and co-operation between PHCCs and hospitals to improve the referral of patients. Expansion of the existing computer network connecting PHCCs with hospitals should be given high priority.

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Kwan Ho-yuet. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-[87]). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- An Overview on Transmitter Optimization --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Transmitter Precoding Methods --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Chip Waveform Optimization --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Signature Sequence Adaptation --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2 --- Receiver Optimization --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- Nonlinear Optimization with Constraints --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Lagrange Multiplier Methods --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Penalty Function Methods --- p.7 / Chapter 1.4 --- Outline of Thesis --- p.8 / Chapter 2 --- Transmitter Adaptation Scheme for AWGN Channels --- p.10 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.10 / Chapter 2.2 --- System Model --- p.12 / Chapter 2.3 --- Adaptation Algorithm --- p.13 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Receiver optimization --- p.14 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Single-user transmitter optimization --- p.18 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Decentralized transmission scheme --- p.20 / Chapter 2.4 --- Modification of the sequence adaptation algorithm --- p.25 / Chapter 2.5 --- Performance Evaluation --- p.28 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- Performance of the decentralized scheme --- p.28 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- System Capacity with Target SNR Constraints --- p.29 / Chapter 2.5.3 --- Performance of modified sequences --- p.31 / Chapter 2.6 --- Summary --- p.33 / Chapter 3 --- Transmitter Adaptation Schemes for Rayleigh Fading Channels --- p.34 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.34 / Chapter 3.2 --- Sequence Adaptation for MC-CDMA Systems --- p.36 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Multi-sequence MC-CDMA systems --- p.36 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Single Sequence MC-CDMA systems --- p.41 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Performance Evaluation --- p.45 / Chapter 3.3 --- Sequence Adaptation for Wideband CDMA System in Fading Channels --- p.50 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- System Model and Algorithm Development --- p.50 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Performance Evaluation --- p.56 / Chapter 3.4 --- Summary --- p.60 / Chapter 4 --- Practical Issues on Sequence Adaptation --- p.61 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.61 / Chapter 4.2 --- Preliminary --- p.62 / Chapter 4.3 --- Sequence Adaptation Algorithm with Perfect Estimation of SNR --- p.63 / Chapter 4.4 --- Performance Evaluation --- p.68 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Typical Behaviour Analysis --- p.71 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Average Performance Analysis --- p.72 / Chapter 4.5 --- Sequence Adaptation Algorithm with imperfect estimation of pre- vious state SNR --- p.75 / Chapter 4.6 --- Performance Evaluation --- p.77 / Chapter 4.7 --- Summary --- p.79 / Chapter 5 --- Conclusions and Future Works --- p.81 / Chapter 5.1 --- Conclusions --- p.81 / Chapter 5.2 --- Future Works --- p.83 / Bibliography --- p.84

by Sung Chi Wan. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 150-[157]). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

Pun Siu Yi. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-128). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / List of Figure / List of Table / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.11 / Chapter 2 --- Capacity of Single-Cell S-CDMA System --- p.15 / Chapter 2.1 --- Preliminary --- p.16 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Information measure --- p.16 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Capacity of a channel --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Capacity of multiple access Gaussian DS-CDMA channel --- p.22 / Chapter 2.2 --- Evaluation of the sum capacity for selected sequence sets --- p.26 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Walsh Code --- p.28 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- M-Sequence --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Binary Almost Perfect Sequence --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3 --- Asymptotic Upper Bound of the sum capacity for 2 sequence sets --- p.50 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Upper Bound of the sum capacity for selected sequence sets --- p.50 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Asymptotic Upper Bound --- p.52 / Chapter 2.4 --- Optimal dynamic code allocation scheme for ad-hoc S-CDMA System --- p.62 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Ad-hoc S-CDMA System --- p.62 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Code Allocation Scheme --- p.63 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Proof of Optimality --- p.66 / Chapter 3 --- Simulation of code adaptation schemes for mobile CDMA System --- p.72 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction of mobile CDMA System --- p.72 / Chapter 3.2 --- Simulation of code adaptation scheme --- p.77 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- System Model --- p.77 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Description of 3 schemes --- p.78 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Simulation Results --- p.96 / Conclusion and Future Work --- p.108 / Appendix --- p.110 / Bibliography --- p.126

This thesis examines the potential for the use of mobile devices in New Zealand healthcare. Adoption of mobile technology can potentially improve information access at point of care, increase efficiency and patient safety, significantly reduce costs, enhance workflow, and promote evidence-based practice to help make effective decisions. Mobile devices of different size and form such as laptops, tablet PCs, PDAs, smart phones, mobile phones, and RFID offer portability, remote access to clinical data, traceability, convergence, and connectivity which traditional computers cannot emulate. The pervasiveness of mobile devices is increasing both globally and within New Zealand. The potential of mobile technology in healthcare has been recognized by many developed countries; there is adequate evidence for improving productivity, efficiency, and patient engagement. The study focuses on the three prominent healthcare sectors in New Zealand: Primary, Secondary, and Community. As mobile technology is still an underdeveloped area within New Zealand’s healthcare industry, the use of a qualitative research approach involving surveys and interviews helps to determine which m-health applications are most appropriate to adopt here. The sample surveyed consists of health providers, health strategists, and technology vendors. The potential of mobile devices that were identified from the interviews included real-time access to information such as clinical data, drug database, and medical references. the use of SMS reminders and alerts, use of RFID to reduce medical errors, manage patients and assets, and for identification of medical equipment and drug identification. Over 80 percent of the participants considered privacy, confidentiality, and security to be very important challenges in the m-health domain. Many challenges and implications were identified, including technical constraints such as form factor of mobile devices, storage space, limited battery life, durability, and reading distance of RFID devices. Privacy, security, and ethical issues were discussed including the sensitivity of personal data, sending and receiving of clinical data, RFID tracking ability, security, and encryption standards, authentication barriers, and cultural barriers.

Turbo codes have been used successfully for error correction in digital communications, however, their application to wireless mobile communications is still a fresh research topic. The objective of this thesis is to present a new solution that involves the usage of turbo codes, spatial diversity, and orthogonal complementary codes in a CDMA spread spectrum system in order to deliver good performance in a fading environment at low signal-to-noise ratios. The results of the research that was performed to write this thesis are presented in a modular and progressive fashion. That is, the design of a basic turbo-coded system in additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) is developed first in order to get a good understanding of its potential in a wireless communication environment. Then the basic system design is expanded to include fading channel characteristics and multiple access spread spectrum capabilities using classical code division multiple access (CDMA) techniques. Finally, orthogonal complementary codes are used in lieu of traditional spreading codes and spatial diversity is introduced to maximize system performance. / Graduation date: 2003